An accusation of rape is a serious criminal charge, and criminal charges or accusations about a crime have only one place to be handled — the criminal justice system. Colleges have no business whatsoever being involved in accusations of serious crimes. They don’t have the capacity to investigate the alleged crime and collect criminal evidence, they have no capacity for adjudicating that accusation and they are not in a position to attempt to do so in place of the criminal justice system. They should refer all accusations to the local criminal justice authorities, and if it is judged that a crime may have been committed, the court system is the place for that charge to be settled. They can help enforce any kind of protection order a court issues against either the accused or the accuser. That is the sole intrusion into the criminal justice system that colleges should attempt. They don’t have any business “punishing” anyone for the commission of crimes. We have a system set up with the appropriate safeguards to do just that.

R. Barry Crook, Aspen

This letter was published in the July 5 edition.

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